An Unexpected Visitor
by Lily-Starbuck
Summary: Just a short thingy based on recent spoilers... Please R&R!


Hey guys. This is my latest ficlet offering! Came about after a convo with StarbucksTink regarding the spoilers about Jorja Fox being in the season 10 opener. so she gets credit for that and for coming up with the title!

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Supervisor Catherine Willows sighed as she walked down the corridor of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. She'd just returned from P.D. after an exhausting and mostly fruitless interrogation with the prime suspect in her latest case. She knew in her gut that the guy was guilty as sin, but as yet she and Ray hadn't been able to gather enough evidence to indict him, nor had Brass managed to intimidate a confession out of the son of a bitch.

Closing her eyes briefly as she walked to try and fight off the fatigue seeping into her bones, she rounded the corner, intent on reaching her office and having a few moments to herself before heading to the layout room to help Ray.

She stopped short of her office door as the sound of laughter reached her ears. Turning, she deduced that it was coming from the break room. Sighing, she approached the break room, putting a smile on her face before stepping inside.

"You guys sound pretty chipper for people well into a double."

Greg whirled round, a goofy grin plastered across his face.

"Well it's not every day we get a visitor! Look who's here boss!" The rest of the assembled group; Wendy, Nick, Doc Robbins, David, Mandy, Bobby and Archie stepped aside to reveal their visitor.

Catherine's mouth fell open in shock as blue eyes met brown.

"Hey Cath!"

Sara Sidle stepped forward and smiled broadly.

The older woman recovered quickly, returning her former colleague's smile with her first genuine one in what felt like days. Catherine moved toward her and enveloped her in a hug.

"Oh my god Sara! What are you doing here?"

"I have a stopover here for a few days before heading up to San Francisco," she replied, releasing the strawberry blond from her embrace.

Catherine bit her lip slightly, preventing the question she really wanted to ask from coming out. She settled for a different one.

"How was Costa Rica?"

Sara's eyes lit up in a way Catherine hadn't seen them do for a very long time, certainly before the incident with Natalie Davis.

"It was wonderful! So peaceful and calming. I was sorry I couldn't stay longer."

Catherine's eyebrow rose slightly.

"How long did you stay?"

"Only about four months after I left here last. Got offered a spot on a research ship going round the Pacific. That was wonderful." Catherine was about to ask another question when Greg piped up, asking the question she had wanted to moments before.

"Where's Griss?"

Sara turned to face him.

"He was still in Costa Rica when I left. He was enjoying seeing all the different bugs."

"You mean he didn't go with you?" Nick asked. Sara shook her head, although there was no hint of regret.

"I guess it just wasn't meant to be." Her eyes locked with Catherine's as she spoke, the latter understanding the full meaning behind the statement.

"You broke up? Oh Sar I'm sorry." Nick moved closer, placing a supportive hand on her arm. She simply shrugged.

"It's ok Nick. We're both headed different places."

"Hey, shifts almost over, why don't we go get some breakfast? Celebrate seeing Sara again. If that's ok with the Boss Lady of course," Greg added, facing Catherine with a pleading look on his face that she couldn't help but laugh at.

"Go for it. You guys have worked hard, you deserve a break."

"Awesomes!" Greg dashed out of the room, the rest of the group following behind. Sara paused in the doorway.

"You coming?"

Catherine smiled but shook her head. "I'd love to, but I've got to go over some evidence with Ray, then finish up some paperwork."

The brunette nodded.

"We have to have lunch or something before you leave town though."

"Definitely." And with that Catherine smiled again and walked passed Sara, heading towards the layout room.

The younger woman stood for a moment, watching as Catherine disappeared round a corner.

"I know you'll take care of him," she whispered, before leaving the lab and joining her friends.

*

Hours later Catherine pulled into her driveway, completely exhausted. She rested her head on the steering wheel for a moment, gathering the energy to make the journey from her car to her house. As she approached, she caught sight of a figure sat on the bench on her porch. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she moved closer.

The figure lifted their head at the sound of her heels on the steps, before standing completely, taking a step towards her and into the light.

Catherine gasped, her heart thundering in her chest as her eyes met his. He closed the gap between them, the gentle smirk she'd missed so much gracing his lips.

"Hello dear."

"Gil?" Her voice came out in an almost whisper. "What are you doing here? I saw Sara a few hours ago at the lab and she said she hadn't seen you for months, that she'd gone on a research boat to the Pacific and you'd still been in Costa Rica and that you two had…" The rest of her words died as his lips descended on to hers. She froze for a moment before responding with the same passion and longing.

One of his arms snaked round her slim waist, the other travelling over her neck and tangling in her long hair. She wrapped her arms tightly round his neck, pulling him in deeper.

They parted after a few minutes, both desperate for air. Catherine lowered her head to rest on his chest as both of his arms encircled her back, drawing her tightly to his body.

"That was…"

"Long overdue," Gil finished, tipping her chin up so she was looking him in the eye.

"But Sara…"

"Is happy without me. I saw that when I got to Costa Rica. And while I enjoyed the work I did out there, I wasn't completely happy myself. It took me a while but I realised why. I missed Vegas. I missed my friends. My family," he amended, earning a warms smile from the woman in his arms. "But there was something I missed much more. I missed you, Catherine. I missed your smile, your passion, your tenacity…"

"My tush?" She supplied with a flirty smile. He laughed, slipping his hand lower down her back until it rested on the aforementioned part of her anatomy.

"Most definitely." His face grew serious again. "I think it took me leaving, not seeing you everyday, to realise how much I need you. And I need you to know that… that I love you Cath. I need you to know that, even through everything with Sara, it's always been you."

She smiled through the tears in her eyes as she pulled his head back down to hers, capturing his lips once more with her own. He pulled her body closer to his, their mouths opening simultaneously to deepen their kiss.

Catherine pulled away slightly, but her lips still brushed his as she spoke.

"I love you too. But I think we should go inside. I have a very nosey neighbour and I don't really want to give her anymore of a show."

Grissom chuckled and stepped back, allowing her to move towards the door. Once she'd located her keys she pulled them from her purse and slipped them into the lock. She turned her head and glanced over her shoulder, and she left her heart melt as he stepped forward holding a bunch of red roses.

"They're beautiful," she breathed as she reached out and took them from his hand. Catherine's eyebrows rose as she noticed the bottle of wine in his other hand.

"Gil Grissom, are you planning on getting me drunk so you can have your way with me?"

He laughed once more and moved closer.

"That was the plan." His voice deepened. "Although, after the 'show' we gave your neighbour, I don't think I'm going to need it."

Her face flushed at his comment, and the desire she saw evident in his eyes. She turned her attention back to the door, unlocking it. But before she was able to open it fully she felt his arms slide around her waist, and his lips press against her neck, kissing and nibbling gently. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, leaning back into his body, before gasping as he nipped at a particularly sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Ah… Gil?"

"Mmm?" He mumbled in response, lips still fused to her neck.

"We're crushing my flowers."

He chuckled against her skin, moving one hand from her body to push the door open enough for them to pass through.

A giggle escaped her lips as he kicked the door shut forcefully behind them, locking out the world for the rest of the night.

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Kinda fluffy I guess, and TOTALLY never gonna happen (stupid TPTB *shakes fist*) *le sigh* A girl/girls can dream I guess...

Please review and let me know what you think!

Lily  
-x-


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